Check-printing machine.



C. G. TIEFEL & B. A. WEAVER.

CHECK PRINTING MACHINE,

APPLICATION FILED APR. 7. me.

Patented Jan. 7', 1919.

2. SHEETS-SHEET I.

m I 29 55 E1 61 l i :P B 1/32 H I ll? I 25 a I 52 I I 23 -34; i 54 CHARLES a. TIEFEL BURT'A. WEAVER m'VE/V TORS T112712 ATTORNEY C. G. TIEFEL & B. A. WEAVER.

CHECK PRINTlNG MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 1. 1916.

1,290,409. Patented 12111.7,1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

CHARLES G. TIEFEL. BURT A. WEAVER.

INVENTOAS THEIR ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATET OFFICE.

CHARLE$ G. TIEFEL AND BURT AJWEAVE R. 0T3 ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOBS T0 TODD PROTEC'IOGRA'PH COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A COBPORATIDN or NEW YORK.

Patented Jan. 7, 191%.

Application filed April 7, 1916. Serial No. 89,543.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, CHARLns G. Tian in and BURT A. WEAVER, both of Rochester, 1n the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Check-Printing Machines; and we do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable any person skilled in the art to which the invention appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention has to do with printing apparatus, and more particularly with machines of the kind adapted for printing inscriptions upon checks, drafts and other commercial instruments. One object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient machine for conveniently printing on a check or other instrument the value for which it is drawn, and the'name of the payee, or such other legend as may be desired.

This and other objects and advantages will be made clear by the following detailed description of one embodiment of the invention which is illustratedin the accompany ing drawings in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of the machine partly broken away.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the machine partly broken away, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the arrow, showin nthe letter printing mechanism in normal position.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrow, showing the letter printing mechanism in printing position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view in elevation of the device for moving the letter printing mechanism over the work.

The present invention is intended to provide a machine for printing on a check not only the amount for which the instrument is intended to be honored, but also any other legend which it may be desired to write, and especially the name of the payee of the instrument. To this end there is employeda printing mechanism for writing the amount for which the check or other instrument is drawn provided with a plurality of types each printing a complete word expressing an amount and forming one of a series of such words adapted to be selectively combined for writing a wide range of monetary values.

Printing mechanisms of the latter variety are preferably constructed with the impression surfaces of the types and platen formed to disrupt or shred the fiber of the paper during the printing operation so that the paper will absorb and become thoroughly impregnated with the printing ink, thus making it very difficult to alter or raise the amount for which the check is drawn.

In combination with such a word printing mechanism for wrlting the "amount of the check the invention supplles a. printing Inechanisni provided with types for print ing the letters of the alphabet and other useful characters requisite for printing upon the check any other desired inscription or legend, such, for instance, as the name of the payee of the instrument.

The present invention is, of course, susceptible of many forms of embodiment employing various features of construction, and the combination of parts shown in the present instance is selected-merely for purpose of illustration. For printing the monetary value of the check or other instrument there may be employed a mechanism which is es sentialiy similar to the machine disclosed. in U. S. Letters Patent 1138330 granted jointly to Libanus M. Todd and Charles G. Tiefel,

May 1, 1915, for an improvement in check writers, and requires buta brief description.

Reference numeral 10 denotes the lower, or base portion, of a supporting and inclusing housing for the value printing mechanism, and the upper portion of the frame or casing is designated by the numeral 11 (Figs. 1 and 2). These parts of the casing are separated throughout most of their extent by a work receiving slot-11 (Fig. 2) to permit the location of the work in printing position on the base portion 10 of the casing. Journaled at its ends in the upper portion 11 of the casing is a shaft 12 (Fig. 1) upon which is slidably mounted a yoke 13 having ends 1% embracing the shaft 12 and inclosing a type carrier 15 which is splined on the shaft 12. The carrier 15 is substantially cylindrical in shape and has fixed upon its surface a type supporting plate 16 upon which are formed a plurality of type forms extending circumferentially of the carrier in parallel spaced relation with each other.

roller 17 (Fig. 2) arranged to support the work from below for contact with the type. In the operation of the parts thus far described it will be understood that the yoke 13 may be slid along the shaft 12 to slide the type carrier axially of the shaft and thereby bring its series of types selectively to position to cotiperate individually with the platen 17 upon rotation of the type carrier, the selected type form and platen operating by rolling contact to simultaneously print and feed the work over the printing bed. The impression surfaces of the types and platen are preferably formed of circumferentially extending corrugations arranged to intermesh with each other during the printing contact in order to break the fiber of the paper, as fully explained in the patent referred to above.

The means for rotating shaft 12 and the type carrier splined thereon comprises preferably a crank handle 18 on the end of a spindle 19 journaled in the upper portion of the casing and connected at its inner end by a gearing with the shaft 12. The yoke 13 for shifting the carrier to select the types is held against rotation with the shaft 12 by guiding means not-shown) on the in- 'terior of the casing, andthe means for shifting the yoke comprises preferably a handle 20 fixed thereto and extending through the upper portion of the casing (Fig. 1) and provided with an index 21 arranged during the movement of the handle to travel over a dial 22 supported on the top of the easing. This dial has two series of markings thereon, one consisting preferably of'the letters of the alphabet, a period, a comma, the sign &, and other convenient characters if desired, as denoted by the numeral 23, the purpose of which will presently appear. The other series of markings on the dial, as indicated at 24, comprises preferably a range of amounts, each one of which corresponds with one of the types on the carrier 15, it being understood that while these amounts are expressed on the dial in figures, they are expressed in the types by' lettered words which afford a more indelible form of writing the amount because they are more difiicult to erase than figures would be. The series of markings 24 comprises preferably in addition to the amounts, denominational words such as Hundred, Thousand, Dollars and Cents, the word Only, and a line of stars or other conventional mark for terminating a line of printing, some of these words being shown on the dial in line with the series of markings 23 merely to bring them conveniently adjacent to index 21. The index 21 and dial 22 therefore form a selecting device so that by moving the index into registry with any one of the characters of the series 24 of the dial 22, the type carrier is shifted to bring the corresponding type to such position that upon rotation of the type carrier by means of the crank 18, the selected type is brought into rolling contact with the platen to print and feed the work therebetween through the machine from right to left as seen in Fig. 1,

The letter printing mechanism in the pres ent embodiment of the invention is designed for operation in conjunction with the value printing mechanism described above, and to this end the yoke 13 has fixed to its ends 14 brackets 25 (Fig. l) supporting a rack 26 which is moved longitudinally by the movement of the yoke. Meshing with this rack 26 and driven thereby' is a gear 27 (Fig. 1)

fixed on the inner end of a shaft 28 journaled in opposite sides of a substantially rectangular frame 29 fixed for support at its inner side to the upper portion 11 of the casing and supported also by the bracket 30 secured by screws 31 to the casing. VVithin the fixed frame 29 is a movable frame 32 of substantially U-shape, having arms 33 and 34 slidably supported by the shaft 28. Frame 32 is also supported and guided by a pin 35 projecting from its forward side into a guide slot, 36 in the forward side of the frame 29 (Figs. 2 and 3). Within the frame 32 is a second frame 37 also substantially of U-shape, having sides 38 and 39, the latter side being supported by means of a bearing sleeve 40 slidably mounted on the shaft 28. Side 38 of the frame 37 is journaled on-a sleeve 41 splined on the shaft 28 and having integral therewith a gear 42 which is therefore rotated by the rotation of shaft 28. Frame 37 is maintained in position within frame 32 and spaced therefrom by means of its bearings 40 and 41 which abut the sides of the frame 32, and it will be seen that these. frames are slidable together axia'lly of the shaft 28.

Meshing with the gear 42 is a gear 43 (Figs. 1 and 2) on a shaft 44 journaled in bearings 45 carried in the sides of the frame 37. Also ournaled on the shaft 44 adj aeent the gear 43 is a type wheel 46 carrying upon its periphery, and spaced from each other in alinement oircumferentially, thereof a series of types 47 for printing the letters of the alphabet and other desired characters, which types correspond with the markings shown at 23 on the dial 22.

(lear 43 and type Wheel 46 are yieldingly connected with each other by a device which comprises a spring 48 (Fig. 2) lying within a recess formed in the side of the gear 43 adjacent the type wheel and coiled about the hub of the gear with its ends pressing against the opposite sides of a guide pin- 49 fixed in the gear. The gear has formed therein a slot 50 in which travels a pin 51 fixed in the type wheel, and this pin lies between the extended ends of .spring 48. Through this construction the type wheel is haeoetob yieldingly maintained by means of the cooperation of spring 48 and'pin '51 in. a definite position relative to the gear 43, but, as will be apparent, the type wheel may be rotated in either direction against the tension of one or the other of the ends of spring 48 a small distance limited by the ends of the slot 50. The object of this yielding connection is to permit the type wheel to be adjusted precisely in printing position by a centering device presently to be described, independently of the exact position of gear 43, which, as will be understood, is adjusted only approximately by means of the selecting device to bring the types to printing position.

The selection of the types of the letter printing mechanism, as indicated by the above description, is edected by bringing the pointer 21 opposite the letters of the series 23 on the dial 22, this adjustment of the index operating to shift the rack 26 and thereby, through the gearing described, to rotate the shaft 28. The rotation of the latter rotates gear 42 splined thereto, which 1n turn rotates the gear 43 and the type wheel 46, and the arrangement of the markings of the dial and of the types ,pn the type wheel is such that when the index 21 is in registry with any given letter on the dial the corresponding type is in printing position at the bottom of the type wheel 46.

The means for effecting a printing impression of the letter types comprises, preferably, an operating handle 52 attached to the f orward portion of frame 37; The depression of handle 52 rotates frame 37 about the shaft 28 thereby carrying the type wheel downwardly and bringing the type in printing position against a platen member 53 carried by a work support, or table, 54 which is fixed to the base portion 10 of the value printing mechanism by means of screws 55,

' a leg 56 also being provided to support the outer edge of the table 54. The surface of table 54 is substantially level with the top of the base portion 10, thus forming therewith a continuous work support serving for each printing mechanism.

The means for centering the type wheel 46 and for lookin it in osition durin the printing operation comprises, preferably, a bracket 57 (Fig. 3) fixed at 58 to the frame 32 and carrying at its lower end a pin 59 adapted during the impression of the type wheel to engage between the beveled ends of teeth 60 formed in a centering wheel 61 secured to the type wheel 46. Thus, while the type wheel may be approximately adjusted by means of the index 21 and dial 22 to bring a selected type form to printing position, the centeringdeyioe described operates during the depression "of the type wheel, and previous to the contact of the type withthe work. to bring the selected type form precisely to a common printing position above.

the platen, and holds the type wheel in such adjusted position during the impression.

The yielding connection previously described between the type wheel and the gear 43 permits the centering device to precisely adjust the position of the type wheel with.- out exerting the force necessary to adjust the train of operating mechanism leading back to the index 2 1, as would be necessary if no such yieldiiig connection 'were employed.

While the spacing of the characters impressed. on the work by the letter printing mechanism may, of course, be elfected by either moving the work relatively to the type wheel or the type wheel relatively to the work, it is preferred in the present instance to employ a construction for moving the type wheel a spacing distance over the work after each printing impression. This construction comprises, preferably, a dog, or pawl, 62, (Figs. 3 and at) pivoted at 63 on the rear side of frame 37, a spring 64 being attached at one end to pawl 62 and at its other end to apin 65 in a second pawl 66 also pivoted at 63 on the frame 37 Pawls 62 and 66 have beveled ends adapted to engage the teeth of 4 a rack bar 67 listed on the rear side of the frame 29. As the type wheel 46 is moved downwardly to impress the work, the rear end of frame 37 is raised and pawl 62 under the actuation of spring 64 slips over one tooth of the rack 67, toward the left, as seen in Fig. 4, the movement of the pawl in this direction being stopped by a pin 68 on an angular spindle 69 journaled on the frame 37 and having an upwardly extending end 70 projecting outwardly from the side of the frame. When the type wheel rises after the printing impress on the rear end of frame 37 descends and pawl 62, having its end enwheel and frame 32 tobe moved longitudinally of the shaft 28 for moving the type wheel to any desired position over the work, or for returning it to position for starting a line of printing at the left of its range of movement, as viewed in Fig. 1. Pin 65 of awl 66 rests against frame 37 and prevents this pawl from descending far enough to interfere with themovement of frame 37 by pawl 62, so that pawl 66 serves only as a detent to accentuate the printing positions of the frame when it is adjusted by hand with the pawl 62 raised.

- The means for inking the types comprises a U-shapod frame 71' having its sides rotat- 13a ably supported by the ends of shaft 4 L. Pivoted on the outer extremity of the frame 71 is a frame 72 having rotatably journaled thereon an inking roll 73, a spring (not shown) being provided between frames 71 and 72 for urging the inking roll into position for rolling contact with the types. In the normal or raised position of the type wheel, as shown in Fig. 2, roll 73 is in inking contact with the particular type which is in printing position so that this type is always inked just previous to its impression on the work. When the type wheel is depressed, however, the inking roll is swung upwardly out of the way to a position shown in Fig. 3, by means comprising an extension 7 4 on one of the sides of the frame 71 provided with a slot, the sides of which embrace a pin 75 fixedin the frame 32,. the

relative movement between the shaft 44 upon which the frame 71 is supported and the pin 75 serving to effect this swinging movement of the frame and inking roller.

Attached to the outer side of frame 71 is a plate 76 which serves as a guard for the work. This plate is so formed that it protects the work placed upon the table 54 from being inked by the roll 73 in the normal position of the latter, and during the printing impression, plate 76 is moved by the oscillation of the frame 71 to bring under the type in printing position a portion of the plate which is provided with an aperture of sufficient size to permit ongagement of selected type with the work, and at the same time to protect the work from being smeared by ink on adjacent type forms. Plate 76 also serves the purpose of stripping the work from the type and of holding the work in place during the printing impression.

A further inking means is provided comprising a spring carrier plate 77 having its ends engaging over screws 78 in frame '37 the carrier being providedw th lugs 7 9 on which is pivotally supported a frame 80 having journaled therein a second inking roll 81, and a spring (not shown) is provided between the lugs 79 and frame 80 for urging the ink roll into position for roll-' ing contact with the type during the rotation of the type wheel.

Frame 37 is held in normal position with the type wheel raised by means of a spring 82 attached at one end to an arm 83 fixed on the frame 37, and at its other end to an arm 84 fixed on the oscillating frame 71 of the inking mechanism. The tension of this spring, as will be apparent,serves to elevate the frame 37, the upward movement of which is limited by contact with a stop lug 32 projecting inwardly from frame 32. in the operation of the machine, a check,

or other iwork, is placed upon the table 54 with its ehd inserted between the members ing position at the left of its movement, as

seen in Fig. l, handle 20 of the selecting device is moved to place the index '21 successively opposite the letters required for printing the desired inscription, and after each such selection the handle 52 of the letter printing mechanism is depressed and al lowed to rise. The actuation of the handle 52 prints the selected letter and subsequently moves the type wheel to position for impression of the next letter to be selected. A

blank space is provided on the wheel which is brought to printing position and the handle 52 depressed when it is desired to form a space between words. The name of the payee having been written upon the check the latter may be shifted on the table 5% to print matter on other lines of the check, and when the work to be done by the type wheel 46 is completed, the check is adjusted, if necessary, to printing position relative to the value printing mechanism, and the pointer 21 is then moved selectively and successively into registry with the characters on the dial 22, which are desired for writing an amount, these characters, as previously stated, being of such nature that by proper combination thereof any desired monetary value may be written upon the check. After each such selection the crank 18 is rotated to rotate the carrier to print the selected word and feed the work a corresponding distance over the work support. In this manner the value of the check is also written thereon, in a protective manner, and the check is fed through the value printing mechanism and out at the left side of the machine, as viewed in Fig. 1.

Having .thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a printing apparatus, a plurality ofprinting mechanisms each provided with a range of type characters; common means for adjusting said mechanisms to bring various type characters thereof, selectively, to printlng posit-ion; operating means for each of said mechanisms for effecting an impression of its selected characters upon the work;

and means" for automatically producing a feeding 'movement of one of said mecha-" nisms over the work.

2. In a printing apparatus, a plural ty of type characters thereof, selectively, to print 'ing position; means for impressing the selected characters of one of said mechanisms upon the work, operating to effect a movement of said mechanism over the work; and

means for impressing the selected characters of the other of said mechanisms upon the work, operating to effect a feeding movement of the work. v

3. In a printing apparatus, a set of type forms for printing words adapted to be conibined for writing any monetary value within certain limits; a set of type forms for printing the letters of the alphabet; common means for shifting said sets of. type forms to bring the forms of each set selectively to printing position; means for effecting a printing impression upon the work of the forms selected from one of said sets of type forms, operating to feed the work relatively to the corresponding set of forms; and means for effecting a printing impression upon the work of the forms selected from the other of said sets of type forms, operating to move the printing point of the corresponding set of forms relatively to the work.

v 4. In a printing apparatus, a-set of type forms for printing words adapted to be combined for writing any monetary value within certain limits; a set of type forms for printing the letters of the alphabet; common means for shiftin' said sets of type forms to bring the orms of each set selectively to printing position; means for effecting a printing impression upon the work of the forms selected from said set of word forms, operating to feed the work relatively to said set of word forms; and means for effecting a printing impression upon the work of the forms selected from said set of letter forms, operating to move the printing point of said set of letter forms relatively to the work.

5. In a printing apparatus, a rotary type cylinder provided with types for printing words of different lengths and movable to bring said types selectively to printing position; a second rotary type cylinder provided with letter types and movable to bring said types selectively to printing position; com- Ooplu of this patent may be men means for eflecting said selective movements oi. said cylinders; means for impressing the selected types of said first cylinder upon the work, operating to feed the work relatively to said cylinder variable distances corresponding to the lengths of the words printed; and means for impressing upon the .work the selected types of said second cylinderoperating to ,move said second cylinder relatively to the work.

6. In a printing apparatus, the combination with a mechanism including a plurality of types, a platen, a selecting device for bringing any of said types to position for cooperation with said platen, and means for eifecting a printing impression of the selected type and 1 platen, and feeding the work relatively to said mechanism; of a type carrier, a connection between said carrier and sald selecting device for moving said carrier to bring its types selectively to printing position, and means for efi'ecting an impression of the types of said carrier upon the work, operating to move said carrier over the work for spacing the characters printed thereon.

7. In a printing apparatus, a check writing machine comprising a type carrier movable to bring various types selectively, to printing position; a device for eiiecting said selective movement of the carrier; a shaft connected with said device to be rotated thereby; a type wheel connected to said shaft to be rotated thereby to bring various types selectively to printing position; means for effecting an impression of the types of said wheel upon the work, operating to move said wheel laterally relative to the shaft between the printing impressions to produce the spacing of the characters upon the work.

8. In a machine of the class described; the combination with a plurality of vpe carriers; of a common means for sett-ng said type carriers to determine the type tobe printed from; means for selectively print-- ing from the type carriers; and devices for automatically shifting one of the type carriers relative to the work to efi'ect spacing after each printing impression therefrom. CHARLES G. TIEFEL. BURT A. WEAVER. Witnesses:

FRANK L. COUCH, MAGNUS H. JOHANSON.

obtained for he cents each, by droning the "Commissioner 0! intents,

Washington. 1. in." 

